Answering Objections In Luke

Luke 13:33

Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, yet in Luke 13:33 Jesus says that “it is impossible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem.” How, then, can Jesus be said to have perished outside Jerusalem if His crucifixion took place at Golgotha?

Let’s look at the passage in context.

³³ Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. ³⁴ “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁵ See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

Unlike in verses 4 and 22, where “Jerusalem” is used strictly as a geographical location, verses 33 and 34 show that the term can also function as a reference to the people of Jerusalem. In this context, it would make little sense to understand Jerusalem merely as a place, since a location cannot kill prophets nor receive moral warnings. Rather, Jesus is addressing the inhabitants and leaders of Jerusalem, who were responsible for persecuting and killing God’s messengers. Places do not act against prophets people do. The objection assumes a contradiction only because the passage is read without proper attention to context, often driven more by polemical intent than by careful comprehension.